Lion-tailed macaque

Silent Valley National Park (Kerala) remains one of the last continuous and most important habitats of the lion-tailed macaque, an Endangered primate species endemic to the Western Ghats.

About the Lion-Tailed Macaque

• Scientific name: Macaca silenus
• Commonly known as the “Lion of the Rainforest”
• Named for its dark body fur, silver-white mane, and tufted tail

Distribution in India

• Largest known population: Silent Valley National Park, Kerala
• Other viable populations:
  • Anamalai, Nelliampathy, and Agasthyamalai ranges
• Karnataka:
  • Small populations around Kudremukh and the Sharavathi Valley
• Tamil Nadu:
  • Isolated troops in Kalakkad–Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

Habitat and Ecology

• Inhabits tropical evergreen forests of the Western Ghats
• Strictly arboreal—spends nearly its entire life in the forest canopy
• Moves silently through trees, making it difficult to spot
• Diet:
  • Fruits and leaves
  • Insects
  • Small reptiles
  • Bird eggs

Ecological Importance

• Acts as a key seed disperser
• Helps in forest regeneration and maintaining ecological balance

Major Threats

• Habitat fragmentation due to deforestation and human activities
• Highly sensitive to habitat disturbance as it is specially adapted to dense, undisturbed forests

Biological Characteristics

• Males are larger than females
• Like other Old World monkeys, it has:
  • Tough, callous-like pads on the buttocks (ischial callosities)
  • These help in sitting and sleeping on tree branches

Old World vs New World Monkeys

• Old World monkeys:
  • Native to Africa, Asia, and Europe
• New World monkeys:
  • Found in South and Central America
• The terms Old World and New World were coined by Europeans after Christopher Columbus’s voyages

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Endangered (EN)